Fantastic food, great service, ridiculously expensive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sera Lee
My recent omakase experience at O Ya left me underwhelmed. As a fan of omakase, I had high hopes for a memorable dining experience, especially since it was my birthday celebration.However, the reality fell short. The ingredients lacked the freshness and quality I expected. In particular, the seafood failed to impress, lacking the vibrant flavors I associate with omakase.Additionally, there was an excessive use of sauce, overpowering the natural flavors of the dishes and detracting from the overall enjoyment of the meal.While the service was attentive and the ambiance pleasant, the quality of the food didn't meet my expectations.In conclusion, unless you're a fan of lackluster flavors and drowning sauces, steer clear of O Ya for your omakase fix.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
M N
Some interesting dishes, many of which tasted good. They hit the fish+mignonette+microgreen trope a little too hard.Efficient service, though bland. Atmosphere is tired and dingy, a real disappointment.The value is off. This is one of those places I convinced myself is good in the moment, because how else can you feel good about the expense? But I regret it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase
Ion Passo
Extremely good omakase but it will set you back. Everything was spectacular though including its understated ambiance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vahid Rohani
O Ya was a place I've been trying to get to for 3-4 years. On an episode of the youtube series Hot Ones where celebs eat progressively hotter wings Salma Hayek proclaimed O Ya as her favorite restaurant. When I heard it was a restaurant in Boston I knew I had to try it. Each piece was creatively constructed and layered with complimentary flavors. Pictured here is the entire 20 course omakase plus 1 extra (the umi toast). If you look at the image of the menu and zoom in there are additional items you can add to your courses. I asked the waiter if I went with just one what does he suggest and he said the umi toast and I'm happy he did. The umi toast was a crispy tangent that I really appreciated. There is a steep price tag to eat here, but you will be here for 2-2.5 hours so I think of it more like an edible art show. I had an amazing time here and I hope you do as well.Vegetarian options: My wife got the vegetarian omakase of 20 pieces and if I get back here sometime I want to try it. They put just as much effort into the vegetarian menu as they do the regular one. My wife was also really impressed with 99% of the vegetarian menu. The crushed ice shisho leaf was the one piece that wasn't her style, but I tasted it from her dish and thought it was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seared Petit Strip Loin, Sushi, Omakase
Lydia O.
Our anniversary meal was wonderful. 4 of us, one with shellfish allergy. Very smoothly handled. Service helpful but never intrusive. The many courses were terrific--highly recommend for special occasions (given $$$). And we enjoyed exploring wine and saki list, left happy.
Tracey Billy
We love this place our server Mei is so amazing she is so friendly and makes our experience so much nicer. The food is fresh and everything tastes perfect. I'm bringing my whole family. Please don't miss this place.Kid-friendliness: Mei is so.awesome thank u
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Bryan Lantz
Really enjoyed our meal here. Most of the courses were stellar. Lots of variation across them. Service was well paced and extremely friendly.The only miss was the music selection which is a minor knock and I feel odd even mentioning it. But at this price point you expect more thought and curation put into the dinning experience. The music was all over the place and didn't seem to match the setting.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yuli Friedman
We’ve been here twice: once about 15 years ago, and again this week. It’s an amazing experience, and a meal that we will remember for a long time, as we still fondly think back to our first visit. Expensive but absolutely worth it!Dietary restrictions: They did a great job serving a meal with shellfish restrictions.Parking: The closest parking is the Two Financial Center garage. The two hour metered street parking isn’t enough time for the omakase.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Sushi, Omakase
Gijay Sorez
It was good, but if you are looking for a true omakase experience...this isn't it. I chose counter space seating assuming that that meant the sushi chef will present us with the pieces of the night. Like other omakase.To my confusion and dismay, the chef creates the sushi and then the waiter comes and takes it to the back for quality control/toppings and then they bring it out and present it again. It was a weird roundabout way of presenting a piece that I already saw created and then presented to me as if I haven't already seen it ???Also the uniqueness of each piece was great, it was bold but by the near-end it was too much. My tongue was getting assaulted by too much flavor, I honestly never thought that would happen. I was relieved after the last piece and so so glad for the mochi donuts.Will I come back again? No...probably not, but it's a good one off experience.
We had the pleasure of dining at O Ya last night, where we enjoyed their 20 course menu with drink pairing. It was a culinary adventure that we will never forget. The food was exquisite, with each dish offering a complex and harmonious combination of flavors and textures. The drink pairing was perfect, enhancing the taste and mood of each course. The service was impeccable, with Tim and the rest of the staff being attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. They made us feel welcome and looked after throughout the night.The restaurant has a cozy and elegant ambiance, with soft lighting and fun music. The whole experience lasted for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, but it felt like time flew by. It was a special occasion for us, and O Ya made it even more memorable. It was expensive, but worth every penny. I highly recommend O Ya to anyone looking for a relaxing fine dining experience that will blow your mind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Toro Handroll Black Garlic Wagyu Chicharron Green Oinion, Foie Gras Gyoza, Hokkaido Uni Toast, Sushi, Scallops, Banana Pepper, Omakase, Foie Gras Nigiri
Sue L.
I'd give this place 3 stars. In short, at ~360/person you expect to be blown away in some way and we simply weren't and the meal just wasn't that memorable in any dimension. Theres a right price for everything and if this was more like 200/person it wouldve made much more sense. If someone else is paying for it, definitely do it but if you are paying then I would not recommend. - decor: it's very relaxed and casual with loud pop ish music all night long, but in any case I expected more luxe experience and this was not. - service: service is okay, again nothing special - food: most courses were heavily flavored with various sauces and condiments that it was often difficult to really appreciate the fish. Also the portions are pretty small especially the sushi. In my opinion it's absolutely unacceptable to feel rather hungry after a 18 course meal but we were. We were also disappointed with the mochi donut as dessert. It's all good food, just not worthy of the price they are charging. - nickling and diming: also a bit of a turnoff to be charging 10 dollars per regular small 300ml bottle of San pellgrinos.
Serena K.
I've never encountered a restaurant with such an insane reservation policy. You are required to pay for the entire meal during booking, including a mandatory 20% tip. If you are ill or have an emergency they will not refund or let you reschedule no matter how far in advance you give notice. They won't even refund the TIP. Yes you're tipping a waiter for a meal you never ate. Their website equates the reservation with an "experience" like getting a concert ticket - calm down O Ya, you're a restaurant not Taylor Swift. The person at the table next to us was visibly ill and coughing. Clearly health and safety isn't a priority here - nor is customer service. The food is good but nothing outstanding and the portions of sashimi and sushi are offensively small - think tiny slivers of fish in sauce and miniature sushi. There are several upcharge options littered through the menu. The foie gras, toro, and sea urchin were stand out dishes - but as for the rest they rely heavily on torched and smoked flavors, truffle and shisho. I don't think I got the chance to truly enjoy the flavors of the sashimi itself. Worse, for a sushi place this hyped and expensive, what I really looked forward to was a variety of raw fish options that one would not find at a typical Japanese restaurant. It just wasn't all that special, and the selection minimal. The restaurant is very small and the tables are just a few inches apart from one another. The decor is upscale but most of the diners were in casual wear so I wouldn't say the vibes were fancy or anything. We actually felt a little overdressed. The person next to us was visibly ill - I don't blame them for coming anyway because of the unforgiving reservation policy. Another person pulled out a mask. The service was friendly, very chatty, but slow at times. The entire omakase took 2.5 hours. Most of the time was spent waiting for the next tiny bite and there weren't any apologies or stop-gap dishes to make up for the delays. At one point we waited 30 minutes for the next course. Overall this is an overpriced restaurant that has little respect for its customers who booking two months in advance may have to reschedule a weeknight dinner. If you're looking for a high end Japanese dining "experience" there are way better options in Boston.
Katie C.
O Ya has been on my Boston bucket list for years. I was consistently deterred by the price tag and couldn't justify spending that much on a single meal. But after being generously gifted a birthday dinner, I can say I think it's worth it for a special occasion. The 20 course omakase feels like it's more than just a meal - it's an entire experience, comparable to a dinner + a show. We were there for over 3 hours and left completely satisfied. Each course was unique and inventive. Individual components were well-crafted and balanced each other out perfectly. The progression from course to course was well done and takes you on a beautiful journey with wide ranging flavor profiles. If you spring for the sake pairing, it is an incredible complement to the meal. You get one pour for every 3-5 courses and the selections truly enhanced the food. As a sake newbie, I discovered a couple types I didn't even know existed. Although expensive, it did feel more worth it than a single $16 Sapporo beer. The service and ambiance were both so warm and inviting. I know it's not the most accessible experience and I am very fortunate to have dined here. I'd certainly be a regular if I could!
Rob Nazzal
This is not just a restaurant. It's an experience. It's one of the most special experiences I've ever had and I would recommend it to any sushi lover.
Fantastic food, great service, ridiculously expensive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My recent omakase experience at O Ya left me underwhelmed. As a fan of omakase, I had high hopes for a memorable dining experience, especially since it was my birthday celebration.However, the reality fell short. The ingredients lacked the freshness and quality I expected. In particular, the seafood failed to impress, lacking the vibrant flavors I associate with omakase.Additionally, there was an excessive use of sauce, overpowering the natural flavors of the dishes and detracting from the overall enjoyment of the meal.While the service was attentive and the ambiance pleasant, the quality of the food didn't meet my expectations.In conclusion, unless you're a fan of lackluster flavors and drowning sauces, steer clear of O Ya for your omakase fix.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Some interesting dishes, many of which tasted good. They hit the fish+mignonette+microgreen trope a little too hard.Efficient service, though bland. Atmosphere is tired and dingy, a real disappointment.The value is off. This is one of those places I convinced myself is good in the moment, because how else can you feel good about the expense? But I regret it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase
Extremely good omakase but it will set you back. Everything was spectacular though including its understated ambiance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
O Ya was a place I've been trying to get to for 3-4 years. On an episode of the youtube series Hot Ones where celebs eat progressively hotter wings Salma Hayek proclaimed O Ya as her favorite restaurant. When I heard it was a restaurant in Boston I knew I had to try it. Each piece was creatively constructed and layered with complimentary flavors. Pictured here is the entire 20 course omakase plus 1 extra (the umi toast). If you look at the image of the menu and zoom in there are additional items you can add to your courses. I asked the waiter if I went with just one what does he suggest and he said the umi toast and I'm happy he did. The umi toast was a crispy tangent that I really appreciated. There is a steep price tag to eat here, but you will be here for 2-2.5 hours so I think of it more like an edible art show. I had an amazing time here and I hope you do as well.Vegetarian options: My wife got the vegetarian omakase of 20 pieces and if I get back here sometime I want to try it. They put just as much effort into the vegetarian menu as they do the regular one. My wife was also really impressed with 99% of the vegetarian menu. The crushed ice shisho leaf was the one piece that wasn't her style, but I tasted it from her dish and thought it was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seared Petit Strip Loin, Sushi, Omakase
Our anniversary meal was wonderful. 4 of us, one with shellfish allergy. Very smoothly handled. Service helpful but never intrusive. The many courses were terrific--highly recommend for special occasions (given $$$). And we enjoyed exploring wine and saki list, left happy.
We love this place our server Mei is so amazing she is so friendly and makes our experience so much nicer. The food is fresh and everything tastes perfect. I'm bringing my whole family. Please don't miss this place.Kid-friendliness: Mei is so.awesome thank u
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Really enjoyed our meal here. Most of the courses were stellar. Lots of variation across them. Service was well paced and extremely friendly.The only miss was the music selection which is a minor knock and I feel odd even mentioning it. But at this price point you expect more thought and curation put into the dinning experience. The music was all over the place and didn't seem to match the setting.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
We’ve been here twice: once about 15 years ago, and again this week. It’s an amazing experience, and a meal that we will remember for a long time, as we still fondly think back to our first visit. Expensive but absolutely worth it!Dietary restrictions: They did a great job serving a meal with shellfish restrictions.Parking: The closest parking is the Two Financial Center garage. The two hour metered street parking isn’t enough time for the omakase.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Sushi, Omakase
It was good, but if you are looking for a true omakase experience...this isn't it. I chose counter space seating assuming that that meant the sushi chef will present us with the pieces of the night. Like other omakase.To my confusion and dismay, the chef creates the sushi and then the waiter comes and takes it to the back for quality control/toppings and then they bring it out and present it again. It was a weird roundabout way of presenting a piece that I already saw created and then presented to me as if I haven't already seen it ???Also the uniqueness of each piece was great, it was bold but by the near-end it was too much. My tongue was getting assaulted by too much flavor, I honestly never thought that would happen. I was relieved after the last piece and so so glad for the mochi donuts.Will I come back again? No...probably not, but it's a good one off experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
We had the pleasure of dining at O Ya last night, where we enjoyed their 20 course menu with drink pairing. It was a culinary adventure that we will never forget. The food was exquisite, with each dish offering a complex and harmonious combination of flavors and textures. The drink pairing was perfect, enhancing the taste and mood of each course. The service was impeccable, with Tim and the rest of the staff being attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. They made us feel welcome and looked after throughout the night.The restaurant has a cozy and elegant ambiance, with soft lighting and fun music. The whole experience lasted for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, but it felt like time flew by. It was a special occasion for us, and O Ya made it even more memorable. It was expensive, but worth every penny. I highly recommend O Ya to anyone looking for a relaxing fine dining experience that will blow your mind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wagyu Beef, Toro Handroll Black Garlic Wagyu Chicharron Green Oinion, Foie Gras Gyoza, Hokkaido Uni Toast, Sushi, Scallops, Banana Pepper, Omakase, Foie Gras Nigiri
I'd give this place 3 stars. In short, at ~360/person you expect to be blown away in some way and we simply weren't and the meal just wasn't that memorable in any dimension. Theres a right price for everything and if this was more like 200/person it wouldve made much more sense. If someone else is paying for it, definitely do it but if you are paying then I would not recommend. - decor: it's very relaxed and casual with loud pop ish music all night long, but in any case I expected more luxe experience and this was not. - service: service is okay, again nothing special - food: most courses were heavily flavored with various sauces and condiments that it was often difficult to really appreciate the fish. Also the portions are pretty small especially the sushi. In my opinion it's absolutely unacceptable to feel rather hungry after a 18 course meal but we were. We were also disappointed with the mochi donut as dessert. It's all good food, just not worthy of the price they are charging. - nickling and diming: also a bit of a turnoff to be charging 10 dollars per regular small 300ml bottle of San pellgrinos.
I've never encountered a restaurant with such an insane reservation policy. You are required to pay for the entire meal during booking, including a mandatory 20% tip. If you are ill or have an emergency they will not refund or let you reschedule no matter how far in advance you give notice. They won't even refund the TIP. Yes you're tipping a waiter for a meal you never ate. Their website equates the reservation with an "experience" like getting a concert ticket - calm down O Ya, you're a restaurant not Taylor Swift. The person at the table next to us was visibly ill and coughing. Clearly health and safety isn't a priority here - nor is customer service. The food is good but nothing outstanding and the portions of sashimi and sushi are offensively small - think tiny slivers of fish in sauce and miniature sushi. There are several upcharge options littered through the menu. The foie gras, toro, and sea urchin were stand out dishes - but as for the rest they rely heavily on torched and smoked flavors, truffle and shisho. I don't think I got the chance to truly enjoy the flavors of the sashimi itself. Worse, for a sushi place this hyped and expensive, what I really looked forward to was a variety of raw fish options that one would not find at a typical Japanese restaurant. It just wasn't all that special, and the selection minimal. The restaurant is very small and the tables are just a few inches apart from one another. The decor is upscale but most of the diners were in casual wear so I wouldn't say the vibes were fancy or anything. We actually felt a little overdressed. The person next to us was visibly ill - I don't blame them for coming anyway because of the unforgiving reservation policy. Another person pulled out a mask. The service was friendly, very chatty, but slow at times. The entire omakase took 2.5 hours. Most of the time was spent waiting for the next tiny bite and there weren't any apologies or stop-gap dishes to make up for the delays. At one point we waited 30 minutes for the next course. Overall this is an overpriced restaurant that has little respect for its customers who booking two months in advance may have to reschedule a weeknight dinner. If you're looking for a high end Japanese dining "experience" there are way better options in Boston.
O Ya has been on my Boston bucket list for years. I was consistently deterred by the price tag and couldn't justify spending that much on a single meal. But after being generously gifted a birthday dinner, I can say I think it's worth it for a special occasion. The 20 course omakase feels like it's more than just a meal - it's an entire experience, comparable to a dinner + a show. We were there for over 3 hours and left completely satisfied. Each course was unique and inventive. Individual components were well-crafted and balanced each other out perfectly. The progression from course to course was well done and takes you on a beautiful journey with wide ranging flavor profiles. If you spring for the sake pairing, it is an incredible complement to the meal. You get one pour for every 3-5 courses and the selections truly enhanced the food. As a sake newbie, I discovered a couple types I didn't even know existed. Although expensive, it did feel more worth it than a single $16 Sapporo beer. The service and ambiance were both so warm and inviting. I know it's not the most accessible experience and I am very fortunate to have dined here. I'd certainly be a regular if I could!
This is not just a restaurant. It's an experience. It's one of the most special experiences I've ever had and I would recommend it to any sushi lover.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Omakase